Fastener for the meeting-rails of sashes



(No Model.)

W. M. MORTON. PASTBNER POR THE lMEETING RAILS 0F SASHBS.

No. 470,945. Patented Mar. 15, 1892.

W//VESSES.' l MQW@ y MM UNITE STATES VILLIAM M. MORTON, OF N EW HAVEN,CONNECTICUT.

FASTENER FOR THE MEETING-RAILS OF SASHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,945, dated March15, 1892.

Application tiled November 2, 1891 To al@ whom t may concern:

13e it known that I, WILLIAM M. MoRToN, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful improvements inFasteners for the Meeting-Rails of Sashes, of which the following` is aspecification.

My invention relates to fasteners for the meeting-rails ot' sashes, andhas for its object to provide a cheap, simple, and durable sashfasteiieradapted to automatically clamp the meeting-rails together and firmlydraw the sashes to their respective seats against the horizontal partsof the frame. It is desirable that the vertical and lateral clampingoperations of the sash-fasteners shall be to a certain extentindependent of each other to permit the sashes to be brought tightlytogether under varying conditions, due to the shrinking or swelling ofthe sash-rails or the parts of the window-frame. After a sashfastener isfirst applied to the windows the sash-rails-usually shrink, and then itis no longer possible to draw them tightly together with the clampingmechanism, the movement of w hich is limited and adapted only to' theoriginal thickness of the rails; but it is highly important to retainthe sash-rails tightly together, in order to exclude wind and moistureand prevent rattling. M y improved fastener 1s adapted to avoid thisfault by the automatic action of the bolt, as hereinafter explained.

A further object is to adapt the action of the parts to a simplehorizontal movement of the operating device to lock the sashes and torelease by spring-recoil controlled by disengagement of a catch operatedby a depressing-button, all as hereinafter described.

To this end the invention consists in the novel combination andarrangement, on the respective sashes, of the horizontal springactuatedwedge-bolt adapted to force the sashes to their seats and aliolding-catch and operating mechanism for engaging the bolt to hold themeeting-rails together and in the construction of parts, all ashereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure l is a side view of my improved sash fastener as Serial No.410,684. (No model.)

mounted on the meeting-rails of the sashes. Fig. 2 is a front view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through Fig. 1 on linefr, Figs. 2 and fl. Fig. at is a horizontal section on the line y, Fig.3. Fig. 5 is a verticaly section on the line e', Fig. 4, showing theparts in unlocked position,with the bolt commencing to enter the housingon the opposite rail. Fig. 6 is a central vertical section similar toFig. 3, but showing the holding-catch depressed to release the bolt.Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional View of the bolt and its housing on the linefw, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rear housing. Fig. 9is a planview of the bolt, viewed from the lower side. Fig. 10 is a plan view ofthe base-plate.

Referring to the drawings, A designatesV the housing or case in whichthe bolt B is fitted and adapted to slide. Itis provided with the earsb,haviug perforations b2 for the reception of ordinary screws forholding the housing in position on the front meeting-rail C or top ofthe lower sash. A base-plate d is set under the housing to support 'thebolt, being formed with perforations d', adapted to set over suitablesleeves h3, cast on the housing around the perforations b2 therein, thesleeves being then riveted over to hold the bed-plate in place, as fullyshown in Fig. 7. The rear housing E upon the rail `F of the upper sashis shaped to match the inner end of the bolthousing A and has similarears c', perforations e2, sleeves c3 around 'the perforations, and a bedG is secured in the said rear housing similarly as the base-plate d isfastened in the front housing. The bolt B passes entirely through thehousing A, its length being sufficient to enable its rear end h to enterand engage the rear housing E, with its outer end projecting on thefront side of the housing A. Said front end is provided withathumb-plate t', by which the bolt may be pushed rearwardly, and it isautomatically actuated in the reverse direction or outward by means of aspring j, which is received in a recessie on the lower side of the bolt,the spring being arranged to exert its pressure between the outer end t"of the bolt and a vertical projection k on the base-plate d at the innerend of the housing. Said spring normally holds the bolt withdrawn fromthe rear housing E, into which it may be entered by pressure on the IOCth umb-platesuificient to counteract the pressure of the spring. At itsrear end the bolt is beveled on its upper side, forming a wedge, whichis adapted to engage the upper part Z of the housing to draw the partsinto the same horizontal plane as the bolt is entered. The recessaforesaid forms twin prongs 7L', and at the base of the wedge saidprongs are joined by a bar m on the upper side of the bolt, with space mforward of the bar forming a shoulder, for the purpose hereinafterdescribed.

On the bed G at the rear side of the housin gE are two half-bearings nand corresponding prongs n at the forward side of the bearings. Theseare adapted to support the twin trunnions I of a tongue p2, which isprovided with an upwardly-projectin g beveled catch p at its outer endadapted to hook under and engage the shoulder or bar m on the bolt thebolt is forced into place in the rearhousing. A projection p4 on thelower side of the tongue and a cavity fr in the bed-plate retain aspring r in position to normally hold the tongue up, whereby the catchis automatically hooked onto the bar after the bar has depressed andpassed up the beveled edge of the latch to its upper edge. On the upperside of the tongue is a projection p3, which supports a cupped buttonr2, fitted in a circular seat in the upper part of the housing andretained in place against the force of the spring r by a flange r3,adapted to engage a corresponding shoulder below the said seat. 'lhebase-plate is formed with the longitudinal slots s, which receivesuitable projections t on the lower side of the bolt, adapted to guideand limit the throw of the bolt.

In operation it will be seen that the bolt is adapted by the engagementof its wedgeshaped rear end with the rear housing to force the sashesinto place vertically, and after the catch p engages the shoulder or barm of the bolt the springj will clamp the sashes tightly together whollyindependent of the elevating movement of the bolt or of any slightvariation in the thickness of the rails due to shrinking or swelling ofthe wood. rlhe bolt is provided with a certain amount of eXtra lengthsfor clearance, as represented by the space between the forward side ofthe housing A and the thumb-plate 'i in Figs. l, 3,and 4, whichclearance insures the engagement of the parts under all con ditions. Asimple rearward push on the thu nib-plate locks the parts, and a slightpressure upon the button r2 will disengage the catch and permit theautomatic release of the bolt by means of the spring j, as shown inFigs. 3 and (i. The bolt is heavy and strong and cannot be forced backfrom without. All the parts are simple, and may be readily cast oreasily stamped out from sheet metal. The lock in use is simple anddurable and is of neat and ornamental design.

I claim as my inventionl. A sash-fastener comprising, in combination,ahousing or case adapted to be secured on the front sash-rail, ahorizontal bolt tted to slide in said housing, provided with an engagingabutment or shoulder and having its rear end beveled or wedge-shaped onits upper surface, a spring adapted normally to retract said bolt, ahousing or case adapted to be secured on the rear sash-rail for thereception of said wedge-shaped end of the bolt, a catch or beveled hookguided or heldin said rear housing, a spring for actuating said catchinto engagement with the shoulder of the bolt, and an external knob orbutton for releasing the catch, substantially as specified.

2. In a sash-fastener, the combination of a housing or case adapted tobe secured on the front sash-rail, a horizontal bolt fitted to slide inthe housing, having the Wedge-shaped or beveled rear end and providedwith an engaging shoulder or abutment thereon facing forward and arearwardly-facing recess or socket, a spring received in said recess orsocket, compressed between the forward end thereof and an abutment orshoulder on the case, a housing adapted to be secured on the rearsash-rail, a beveled hook or catch pivoted or hinged in said rearhousing and adapted to engage the for\\\'ardly-facing abutment of thebolt, a spring for actuating said catch or hook into engagement with thebolt, and an operating part or button projecting external to the housingfor releasing the hook from the bolt, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

3. In a sash-fastener, the combination of the front housing A, havingthe perforated ears D', the base-plate d beneath the housing, the boltB, arranged to slide in the housing upon said plate, wedge-shaped at itsrear end and provided With a shoulder or abutmentm, the bolt beingrecessed, a springj, received in the recess of the bolt, a projection onthe base-plate, adapted to resist the tension of the spring rearwardly,the rear housing E, having ears e', the plate G, secured thereto, thetongue p2, pivoted in the rear housing and provided with the beveledcatch p', a spring for actuating said tongue and catch, a button r2 inengagement with the tongue for depressing the same, all arranged as andfor the purpose specified.

WILLIAM M. MORTON.

NVitnesses:

MARY HUDSON, ELENA LENDBLA.

IOO

IIO

